Albertsons and Vons have recently agreed to pay nearly $4 million to settle a civil lawsuit filed by several district attorneys in California, including the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. The lawsuit accuses these grocery chain stores of charging customers prices higher than those advertised.
According to the complaint, customers were charged fees higher than the advertised or posted lowest prices for certain products. Additionally, some items were found to weigh less than the weight indicated on the label.
Albertsons and Vons have been ordered to pay a $3.2 million fine, along with $750,000 to cover the investigation costs of the case.
The settlement plan also includes the establishment of a “Price Accuracy Program,” where customers can receive a maximum of $5 compensation if they are overcharged.
After acquiring Vons, the parent company of Albertsons operates nearly 600 stores in California under various names such as Albertsons, Vons, Safeway, etc.
This lawsuit was jointly filed by the district attorney’s offices of San Diego County, Alameda County, Los Angeles County, Marin County, Riverside County, Sonoma County, Ventura County, among others, with Assistant District Attorney Kathryn Turner of the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office leading the charge.